Our work was started on the 10th September 2004, with an inaugural social evening at which we has
just 10 attending, today our evenings are averaging an attendance of 30 per evening.
Our mission
is to encourage the social interaction between members of the
transgendered community, from the Lincolnshire area and its surrounding
counties, together with, where possible, their wives & partners,
by providing these social support evenings in a safe anonymous
environment, with suitably safe parking.
We
provide a totally free confidential Help, Support & Advice
service for all transgendered persons and their wives and partners.
We also provide support protocols in three of Her Majesty's Prisons, to
benefit transgendered inmates, and also act in a consultancy role for
many of the Statutory and Local Authorities, Health Services, the
Police and the Criminal Justice System.
We seek to improve the acceptance of our community and understanding
by the public at large, of who and what we are about!
We seek to achieve this by having a presence at public events either
in person, with our display stand at events such as Boston Community Showcase and Lincolnshire Pride weekend and by leaflets and advice at the LincolnCounty Show.
We
have our own website and associated facilities, in fact if you enter
“Boston Belles Transgendered Support Group” into most search engines
you will have at least 100 links to try.
We
have in the past received funding from the Community Champions fund, to
have published a short leaflet to further try to educate the public
about Transgenderism, which is actually a medical condition over which
we do not have control, as it is born within us.
It is a part of who we are, it is part of us that makes us the individuals
that we are and members of the human race!
The leaflet has been a great success and we were overwhelmed by the
demand for it, copies were also made available to the organisers of Sparkle Weekend, in Manchester by request.
Transgenderism
is far more common that is usually believed, it is estimated that at
least one male person in five will at some time in their life,
experience the pressing urges to cross dress, male to female.
The
figure for the female to male transgendered is not easily available as
they are not easily distinguishable, due to Fashion trends allowing and
encouraging the female to adopt clothing that has been predominately
designed originally for the male,
thereby masking those who are of a transgendered nature.
What
we did in 2006
Attendances
at our Social Support evenings are ever improving, we now averaging 30 per evening. There
is an ever-increasing demand for our confidential support services,
whether it is over the telephone, by e-mail or face-to-face meetings.
Our
financial stability has improved, due mainly to our fundraising efforts
with the Raffles at our social support evenings. Some grant income has
helped us to offset some of our operational costs.
In February,
we participated in the first Lincolnshire LGBT History Month. We mounted an informative display for
the whole of the month in the central library in Boston, where Stacy and Belinda were there to answer the questions from the public on the late opening evenings.
With
some specific grant funding, from Community Champions, we published a
short brochure about Transgenderism. This was very well received. We
originally budgeted for 250 copies; to date we have distributed well
over 500 copies. Copies were available at the SPARKLE information centre in Manchester as well as at all the events that we attended.
We showed
our presence at the first ever Lincolnshire Pride event for two whole days in July. This was a great success and we hope to improve on it for 2007. over 7000 persons
came through and saw our display.
Some
of the Committee members have been undertaking formal training in
running a sustainable community group.
September
saw our presence at the Boston Community Showcase event in Central
Park, Boston with our display stands, and some 4000 people enjoyed a
great family day out, in really great weather.
Belinda
underwent a three day training course at the Police Academy in
Hampshire in conjunction with her duties on the Independent Police
Advisory Group for East Division, where she represents the views of the
transgendered community at large.
October
saw us commence assisting in the training of new recruits to the Police
Service. We are making a presentation to each batch of trainees, to
inform them about Transgenderism, so that they are aware of whom we are
and what we are about. We have five intakes diarised for 2007.
November
saw us Launch the LINCOLNSHIRE KALEIDOSCOPE, A consultative forum for
the LGBT Community. This is now being formalised to go ahead as an
entity in itself to enter into service agreements with the local
authorities to provide services to the LGBT Community...
December
was our Christmas party, which was a great success and seemed to be enjoyed by all 40attending .
Planning
is advancing for LGBT History Month in February 2007 where we will be
repeating our displays in the library and our appearances to answer
questions from the public at large on Transgenderism.
There
are new projects scheduled for 2007, so we hope to be able to tell you
more, this time next year.
To achieve what we have achieved,
we work on and attend the following organisations where
we try to represent fairly the Boston Belles and all transgendered people .
Equality & Diversity Theme Group of the Boston Strategic Partnership
Member of Full Boston Strategic Partnership
Associate Partner in Boston Community
Showcase Partnership
Member of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender History Month
Working Group
Founder & Vice Chair of Lincolnshire Kaleidoscope
Member of Engaging Communities Project Team
for Boston Borough Councils
Community Cohesion Review
Member of Lincolnshire Compact Working Group
Chair of Lincolnshire Police
Independent Advisory Group East Division
We work
hard to ensure that the voice of all Transgendered people is heard and listened to!
We
are also members of the following organisations
South Lincolnshire Community and Voluntary Service
